My pretty girl turns five today...and I reflect upon how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday that this crazy girl came into my life, and then on the other hand it seems like she's been here forever. It's hard to remember life without her...her presence is so large in my life. She's taught me so much about being patient and loving and kind...she would have it no other way, she was so damaged when she came here.

I shall start at the beginning...the first photo I took of her. She wouldn't come to me, was petrified of anyone other that my sister at that point (my sister was her emergency foster home).

Her name was Daphne, and she was a rescue through ARPH. She had been purchased a pet store in NJ, bounced through 3 homes and 1 foster home before landing with my sister. She was very fear aggressive, had a micro attention span, was fighting with other female dogs (at the first foster home), chased guinea hens, wasn't housebroken and had a paint-peeling bark that she used to announce EVERYTHING that happened in the world. She wouldn't go near people, including me...and would bark and growl if anyone approached. The rescue was at the end of their rope, and they were debating having her euthanized.

I adopted her.

I changed her name to Inara...a strong name for a strong dog. She was so scared of everything in the world, it was a long project I took on. Every picture I took of her, she was wild-eyed, panting and anxious. Because that's how she was.

She soon started training for flyball and K9 disc...to give her an outlet for her energy...(she is really bad about pacing if she's bored)...and to help her build confidence. She turned out to be a natural...